2011 KIA SORENTO Complaints

FROM DAY 1 I COMPLAINED OF A CLUNKING/BANGING NOISE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS. 3 ATTEMPTS AT DEALERS AND CALLS TO KIA PRODUCED ONLY THE STATEMENT "COMMON TO THIS VEHICLE PLATFORM" I NOW HAVE OVER 4,000 MILES AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE MA TURNPIKE LATE MORNING WHEN I LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR AND THE VIEW WAS CLOUDY. I WASHED THE REAR WINDSHIELD AND KEPT ON DRIVING. A FEW MINUTES LATER A MAN PULLED ALONG SIDE ME AND SIGNALED THAT I SHOULD PULL OVER. I HAPPENED TO GLANCE IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AGAIN AND IT WAS CLOUDY AGAIN. AS I WAS PULLING OVER I CHECKED THE DASHBOARD AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE ON. I STOPPED THE CAR AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I GOT OUT AND STARTED WALKING AWAY FROM THE CAR WHILE CALLING MY HUSBAND. HE SUGGESTED I CALL 911 -- BY THE TIME I DIALED 911 (A TOTAL OF ABOUT 2.5 MINUTES FROM EXITING THE CAR) FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. BY THE TIME THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE (ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES AFTER I CALLED) THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THE TIRES HAD STARTED TO EXPLODE. WHEN THE FIRE WAS FINALLY EXTINGUISHED ALL THAT REMAINED OF THE CAR WAS A BARE METAL FRAME. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A LOUD, UNUSUAL CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER WAS NOT COMPLETING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST BEFORE THE STARTER WOULD ENGAGE. AS A RESULT, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD NOTICED THE FAILURE SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE CURRENT IS 6,983 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 725. THE CONSUMER STATED THE NOISE SEEMS TO COME FROM THE COMPUTER AND THE DRIVE TRAIN. UPDATED 091/16/10 UPDATED 09/15/10. *LJ

SOMETHING LOOSE ON RIGHT FRONT WHEEL OF MY 2011 KIA SORENTO. THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND LIKE SOMETHING IS WRONG. KIA CLAIMS THEY ARE ALL LIKE THAT BUT A NEW CAR SHOULD NOT FALL APART AFTER 3000 MILES. *TR

2011 KIA SORENTO 4-CYL EX ALIGNMENT ISSUE: PURCHASED AUTO 3/27/10 AND NOTICED THE NEXT DAY THAT THE CAR DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT. WAS TOLD TO WAIT 30 DAYS (OR 1000 MILES) FOR BREAK-IN PERIOD. THE DEALERSHIP DID AN ALIGNMENT ON 5/5/10; THEY THEN STRAIGHTENED THE STEERING WHEEL ON 5/6/10; AND TIGHTENED THE SPECS ON 5/7/10. THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER KIA DEALERSHIP IN AKRON ON 5/19/10, AND THEY ROTATED THE FRONT TIRES AND DID ANOTHER ALIGNMENT--THEY COULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE CAR STILL DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT. I AM WORKING WITH KIA CORPORATION TO TRY TO FIND A FIX, BUT FELT THE INFORMATION WAS IMPORTANT TO NHTSA SHOULD OTHER COMPLAINTS BE RECEIVED ON THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

2011 KIA SORENTO [XXX], HAVING ISSUES WITH VEHICLE PULLING OFF TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON VARIOUS ROADS/HIGHWAYS. SAID VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT ALIGNMENT. SERVICE DEPARTMENT'S WORK RESULTED IN VEHICLE ALIGNMENT WORSE THAN BEFORE. RETURNED VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, HAD SEVERAL (DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR, DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER, KIA DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER) ALL LOOK AT AND DROVE VEHICLE AND NOTICED ISSUE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT HE DROVE SEVERAL OTHER 2011 SORENTO'S AND NOTICED A COUPLE OF 4 CYLINDER VERSIONS WITH SAME ISSUE, AND ONE WITHOUT THE ISSUE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER CONTACTED SISTER DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ALSO HAD A SIMILIAR ISSUE WITH ONE OF THEIR 2011 SORENTO'S. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND DISTRICT MANAGER STATES VEHICLE HAS BEEN PUT BACK TO FACTORY SPECS, HOWEVER, UPON CUSTOMER DRIVING VEHICLE AGAIN ALONG WITH THE DEALESHIP SERVICE MANAGER, THE SAID VEHICLE STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT SIGNIFICANTLY. CASE NUMBER ([XXX]) HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY KIA CONSUMER HEADQUARTERS. FIELD TECH REP HAS BEEN CONTACTED TO LOOK INTO VEHICLE ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING IN VERY SUNNY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE SUN WOULD REFLECT OFF OF THE CHROME AROUND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND BLIND THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A REPAIR DID NOT EXIST FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A CRASH DUE TO HIS VISION BEING OBSTRUCTED BY THE BLINDING CHROME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 0. UPDATED 11/03/10. *LJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND LET THE VEHICLE COAST, IT SEEMED AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BREAKING DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE DEALER TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A 23 MILE DRIVE AND THAT ALTHOUGH THE FAILURE DID OCCUR, IT WAS NORMAL. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,900.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A PUSH BUTTON START/SMART KEY. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER SHIFTED INTO PARK BUT DUE TO THE PUSH BUTTON/SMART KEYS, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE TO USE THE SMART KEY AND SHIFT INTO PARK IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO BEHAVE THAT WAY AND THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER TYPE OF KEY AVAILABLE AS AN ALTERNATIVE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000.

TOOK POSSESSION OF 2011 KIA SORRENTO ON 2-18-2010. SINCE THAT TIME THERE HAVE BEEN 14 INSTANCES WHEN THE CAR HESITATED ALMOST DYING OUT AND THEN SURGING FORWARD. AT ONE TIME IT DIED COMPLETELY OUT AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED WHILE BEING IN THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TWICE IT HESITATED AND SURGED AHEAD 4 - 5 CONSECUTIVE TIMES BEFORE SETTLING DOWN, ONCE WHILE CROSSING OVER A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES AND THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEY CLAIM WE DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MY WIFE WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED. UPDATED 03/16/10 *BF *TR UPDATED IVOQ 07/16/10*JB